Rotterdam, Netherlands | November 18, 2025 – The marine fuel industry observed a key milestone on October 19, 2025, with the successful trial of the Electronic Bunker Delivery Note (E-BDN) onboard the vessel Lady Clara in Rotterdam. This pivotal event signals a definitive shift toward fully digital, secure, and transparent bunkering operations, replacing time-consuming, traditional paper-based processes.
The trial was a collaborative effort between Verde Marine Energy, Bunker Suite, Vertom Group, and Bunkerlink, emphasizing the industry’s growing focus on automation, transparency, and operational efficiency in marine fuel delivery.
The Need for Digital Bunkering
Historically, bunkering relied on manual, paper-based Bunker Delivery Notes (BDNs) to record fuel quantity, quality, and delivery details. These manual processes are inherently prone to errors, inefficiencies, and administrative delays.
Digital solutions like Bunker Suite’s E-BDN platform directly address these challenges by enabling secure, automated workflows and real-time data capture. By minimizing human intervention, the system strengthens trust between suppliers, shipowners, and regulators while actively mitigating fraud and supporting efficient, reliable operations.
What is the E-BDN?
The Electronic Bunker Delivery Note is the fully digital counterpart to the traditional BDN. It captures essential details—including fuel delivery data, vessel information, and operational metadata—in real time. The platform ensures secure, consistent, and auditable workflows, offering stakeholders immediate visibility into deliveries while eliminating manual handling.
Key benefits of the E-BDN:
- Compliance & Trust: Supports secure, fraud-resistant, and verifiable records.
- Automation: Eliminates paperwork and manual processes for faster delivery cycles.
- Visibility: Provides real-time insights into fuel deliveries for all stakeholders.
Bunker Suite: The Digital Backbone
Bunker Suite developed the E-BDN platform, transforming manual workflows into a secure, fully digital process. Leveraging AI and data-driven automation, the platform is designed to optimize turnaround times and ensure consistent, fraud-resistant data flows, supporting the long-term global adoption of digital bunkering.
Konstantin Kaminski, Director at Bunker Suite, commented “This successful trial is an important step toward safer, smarter, and more transparent bunkering operations. Our E-BDN solution brings automation, security, and real-time insight to bunkering, helping the industry eliminate unnecessary paperwork, reduce manual handling, and increase trust and compliance. We are proud to partner with Verde Marine, Vertom, and Bunkerlink on this milestone trial.”
Leveraging AI and data-driven automation, the platform is designed to optimize turnaround times, ensure consistent and fraud-resistant data flows, and support the long-term adoption of digital bunkering globally.
Verde Marine Energy: Driving Operational Excellence
As a leading bunker supplier in European ports, Verde Marine Energy embraced digitalization to ensure operational efficiency, compliance, and environmental responsibility.
Joe Tierney, Head of Trading at Verde Marine Energy, stated “Partnering with Bunker Suite has enabled us to automate and digitize our operations, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and compliance for our clients. The E-BDN trial is only the beginning as we prepare for the upcoming MFM regulation and broader rollout, helping us meet environmental and GHG targets.”
The trial marks Verde Marine’s commitment to innovation and sets new standards for verifiable, sustainable bunkering practices in the ARA region.
The Lady Clara Trial: A Milestone in Practice
The trial onboard Lady Clara successfully demonstrated a fully digital, secure, and transparent workflow. Key outcomes included real-time data capture, streamlined processes that minimized administrative delays, and immediate, verifiable data ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of fraud or human error.
The success of this trial confirms E-BDN implementation is feasible in real-world operations, providing a robust model for broader industry adoption.
Strategic Implications and Sustainability
The Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub is a leading global bunkering center. This trial positions the region as a pioneer, showcasing that real-time, auditable, and secure fuel delivery is not only achievable but ready for large-scale adoption.
Digital bunkering also strongly supports sustainability goals. By capturing verifiable delivery data, operators and suppliers can more accurately track emissions, monitor compliance with evolving environmental regulations, and effectively contribute to GHG reduction initiatives.
The Lady Clara E-BDN trial marks a clear turning point in maritime fuel delivery. By combining the expertise of Verde Marine Energy, Bunker Suite, Vertom Group, and Bunkerlink, the industry is moving closer to a future where bunkering is fully digital, transparent, and environmentally responsible.
Source: Bunker Suite | Verde Marine Energy